Chapter 190: Organizing The Group Members (3)
Chapter 189 – Organizing The Group Members (3)
Clang! Clang! Clack!
Metal clangs that felt as though they would tear his eardrums exploded continuously.
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes and silently watched the fight unfolding in front of him.
For an ordinary martial artist, it would have been difficult even to follow the fight between those two with their eyes.
‘It is definitely beyond imagination.’
That was the thought that occurred to him as he watched Bi Ryang.
The claim of him being a once-in-a-lifetime genius did not seem to be nonsense.
‘Was I at that level at that age?’
Still, had he not also been called a natural genius since childhood? Even though he became a Martial World public enemy because of that damn talent.
However, it seemed his martial power in those days was not quite at Bi Ryang’s level.
How should I put it?
Although he could not skillfully use high-level martial arts like Bi Ryang, he was a martial artist who specialized in real combat and was good at fighting.
Yes, I was a guy who was good at fighting.
Compared to that, it felt as though Bi Ryang was better at sparring than fighting.
In any case, the two of them were currently fighting with their lives on the line.
And Bi Ryang was not pushed back in the slightest compared to the black-haired man.
‘That black-haired man… I feel like I have seen him somewhere, yet also like I have not.’
Judging by the fact that the aura he radiated was incredibly sinister, he was surely someone from the unorthodox path, but he could not remember well.
Was he not someone who had personally met most unorthodox martial artists at least once?
If he was that strong, he should have known him, so why did he have no memory of him?
Well, in any case, he should just enjoy the show thanks to this.
Although he wanted to step forward and help Bi Ryang, firstly, Bi Ryang was not particularly at a disadvantage, and rashly intervening in such a fight would often end up costing him more than he could gain.
Besides, it was also disrespectful to the two of them.
‘Well, it is not like I am good enough to be polite to anyone.’
Clang!
Right then, another metallic clang burst out.
Jeez, they could at least fight a bit more quietly.
However, as if to provoke Namgung Cheon, the fight between the two continued even more noisily.
Swish-swish-swish!
Pitter-patter!
As the black-haired man ran up the cliff wall, Bi Ryang also ran up at a high speed.
The two exchanged sword strikes while running diagonally across the cliff wall.
Clang-clang-clang!
It was as if sparks were wildly erupting on one side of the canyon, with something bursting out diagonally.
In a way, it could be described as a superb view.
Ah, is this what they call a beautiful fight?
Namgung Cheon nodded his head deeply, letting out admiration at a somewhat strange point.
In that split second, as the black-haired man kicked off the cliff wall and flew up, Bi Ryang quickly swung his sword upward diagonally.
Whoosh!
Rumble!
When the sword qi exploded, a portion of the cliff wall collapsed and fell.
Rumble!
The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
The black-haired man, who evaded it by a hair’s breadth, performed a somersault in midair and swung his sword wildly.
Clang!
Whoosh, boom!
When Bi Ryang was hit by the sword strike and fell vertically, dust rose with a heavy noise.
Standing on a hollowed part of the cliff wall, the black-haired man narrowed his eyes.
“Ho?”
By the time the dust gradually faded, Bi Ryang’s figure, standing upright on the ground, became visible.
Bi Ryang cracked his neck to one side.
“Interesting.”
Whoosh!
In an instant, a warm breeze blew out from his entire body, and Bi Ryang’s white hair rose strand by strand into the air.
The next moment,
Swish!
Whoosh!
Bi Ryang’s sword shot straight up vertically.
Crack-crack-crack!
A crack appeared on the cliff wall struck by the sword qi, and it shot straight up vertically like a dragon ascending to heaven.
Boom!
It was only when it reached the spot where the black-haired man was standing that the energy exploded.
The black-haired man threw his body up and swung his sword recklessly.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Rumble!
The cliff wall split and crumbled, as if screaming.
Rumble!
The cliff wall shattered by the recklessly swung sword qi fell down like hail.
Swish!
Bi Ryang soared while stepping on the falling rocks.
“Oh! That is the method I used to enjoy.”
Namgung Cheon muttered in admiration involuntarily.
The technique of deploying lightfoot art while stepping on falling rocks was actually a method he had frequently used in his past life.
Although something like Void Step consumed a lot of internal energy, flying up while stepping on rocks like that was a lightfoot art that could be deployed with less than half of that qi.
‘Well, although it is a bit more difficult than Water Gliding.’
But it is still stylish.
Certainly, Bi Ryang’s fight was stylish.
It was somehow clean yet flashy.
It felt different from the sword art of Mount Hua.
Should I say it felt like a more practical martial art?
First of all, it felt as though Bi Ryang himself wanted to fight in a stylish way.
‘In any case, kids these days are just full of vanity.’
Even so, he could not criticize Bi Ryang. That was how grand his divine might was.
Clang!
Finally clashing in midair, the two bounced away from each other.
Skrrr!
The two fell back, separating by a dozen zhang again.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind blew along the canyon.
‘Incredible.’
It was a headwind.
In the realm of experts, even a subtle wind could exert an influence.
Up to now, Bi Ryang had fought a close match even while facing a headwind.
‘Is this a half-victory at this rate?’
While Namgung Cheon was lost in thought alone, the black-haired man sheathed his sword.
“Bi Ryang. Interesting. I am Yeo Sin-woo.”
“Yeo Sin-woo.”
“Hope to see you again.”
Yeo Sin-woo turned around and flew off like the wind.
However, Bi Ryang did not give chase this time either.
“Aren’t you going to chase him?”
“Hmm? We exchanged names.”
What? This guy, seriously!
Namgung Cheon approached with a dumbfounded expression, then abruptly stopped.
‘Ah, is that so?’
The palm of Bi Ryang, who had sheathed his sword, was completely red and heated.
He had indeed fought an extremely close match.
Probably, even if he gave chase, there was no guarantee he could win.
In addition, when a fellow was determined to run away, the pursuer was always at a disadvantage.
Having run away until he was sick of it, he knew this well. One could say that a person who had the freedom to advance or retreat and a person who had only the duty to advance were fighting on tilted ground from the very start.
‘Smart.’
As Namgung Cheon gathered his thoughts, Bi Ryang turned to look at him.
‘Finally, this moment has come.’
Now he will start questioning me in detail. Who those guys are, why they suddenly appeared, and why I fled all the way here alone.
What would be a suitable excuse?
While he was thinking hard in his head, Bi Ryang’s voice finally drifted over.
“Cheon.”
“Yes, Instructor.”
“Let me ask you one thing.”
As if you are going to ask only one thing.
In any case, it was an unavoidable moment.
“Go ahead.”
“You must have also watched me fighting with the determination of a life-and-death struggle just now.”
“Yes.”
“Right. So why did you just stand there blankly and watch?”
“Yes, huh? Yes?”
“No, still, if I looked in danger, shouldn’t you step forward appropriately and help? I asked why you stood idly by and just watched.”
“Ah… that is…”
“Go ahead and speak. If it were Paeng Su-hyeok, he would have charged in to help without hesitating. What are you?”
Well, that simple fellow would have done so in all probability. But…
“In a fight taking place in the realm of experts, even the breeze…”
“…my foot. You would just watch even if I were about to be stabbed to death? Right?”
“It is not that…”
“Then do all experts die when they fight on a battlefield? Right?”
“No, that is a different case. When extremely close experts fight…”
“Forget it. Don’t you know human wave tactics? Don’t you know the more the merrier? I was fighting to the death, yet you just stood there with your arms crossed watching? You looked ready to pop some corn and enjoy the show at any moment.”
“…”
“No words, right? Look at this. This is why they say you should not take in black-haired beasts. I lived in vain, lived in vain. Believing in guys like you…”
Huh, what is with this guy, seriously?
Is he serious?
Clearly, the divine might Bi Ryang showed was at a level where anyone rashly intervening would end up in trouble instead.
If he carelessly stepped forward to help and ended up obstructing the sword path instead, Bi Ryang could have been in greater danger.
Yet, for him to say this much…
‘Is he a fool who is just incredibly strong in martial arts?’
Still, isn’t there common sense?
Usually in this case, isn’t it one of three?
Either he was really a fool who was just strong in martial arts, or he did not care whether he himself suffered harm and got hurt by intervening, or otherwise he was someone who could sufficiently calculate the variables that would arise when he intervened…
Namgung Cheon stopped his thoughts abruptly and looked at Bi Ryang.
Bi Ryang was still muttering to himself.
‘Is he at that level?’
No, still, that makes no sense.
If that were the case, he could have fought with all his might from the start and won easily.
‘Could it be that he intended to capture him alive…?’
If so, how strong is he?
I suddenly feel like having a spar.
As Namgung Cheon stared intently, Bi Ryang, who had been muttering to himself, approached with an embarrassed look and patted his shoulder.
“Anyway, next time you should not just watch like that. We should help each other live.”
“Yes, well…”
“Now, shall we return?”
Bi Ryang smiled brightly, as if he had never been disappointed.
Namgung Cheon stared blankly at Bi Ryang.
“Aren’t you going to ask?”
“What?”
“Who they are. Why they ran all the way here.”
As Namgung Cheon gestured with his chin toward the dead unorthodox martial artists, Bi Ryang chuckled.
“Will you answer if I ask?”
“No, I won’t.”
“Then why ask? Let us go.”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“You will tell me when the time comes. I have no intention of forcing you. And…”
Bi Ryang glanced at Namgung Cheon and said offhandedly.
“It is enough that you are safe.”
“…”
He is certainly an incomprehensible fellow.
Suddenly, Bi Ryang burst into a hearty laugh.
“Wahahaha! That was cheesy, wasn’t it?”
“So you do know.”
“What? Still, you should not say it like that!”
The two returned along the canyon, bickering.
* * *
“It is so regrettable to part like this.”
“Please travel safely.”
Yeon Chu-ryang and Yi Sa-heum came out to the entrance of Guilin village to see the cadets off. In particular, the two held Namgung Cheon’s hands, their eyes welling with tears.
Indeed, compared to the way they had raged upon first seeing Namgung Cheon, it was a display of affection that would make one rub their eyes in disbelief.
The incident at Chogok Tavern had been smoothed over by Bi Ryang’s casual explanation.
Namgung Cheon grinned.
“There will be a day we meet again. I am glad that the matter in Guilin was resolved well.”
“It is all thanks to the Divine Dragon of the Jianghu.”
“Your fame will begin here in Guangxi Province. You are a hero of Guangxi.”
“I do not really like becoming too famous…”
It was not modesty, but the truth.
Had he not already experienced fame until he was sick of it in his past life?
Yeon Chu-ryang replied with a hearty laugh.
“It might be a bit burdensome. However, is there not a saying, ‘an awl in a sack’? Eventually, you will have to accept it. As far as I know, you are not someone who will stop at the moniker of Divine Dragon.”
“I agree as well.”
Yi Sa-heum nodded in agreement.
Namgung Cheon did not speak further either.
The words of the two were correct.
Yes, it would be known eventually.
Rather, if he achieved fame in the orthodox Martial World, it would be difficult for the Alliance Leader to carelessly plot against him.
One cannot expect the world to wait.
‘I will have to catch up to the world.’
Ha, that thought just now was very cool and just like me.
Thinking about it, I am indeed quite an extraordinary person.
While Namgung Cheon’s group exchanged farewells like that, a crow perched upright on a distant tree branch was watching this way.
Its eyes were clear and bright like jade.
It was indeed the Jade-Eyed Spiritual Crow.
Flutter!
The next moment, the Jade-Eyed Spiritual Crow flew off somewhere.